Sad News from Kenya

Happy New Year to all of those keeping track with the Singing Wells project. Some sad news.

Okumu K’Orengo, one of the musicians we recorded in Kenya as part of the Singing Wells trip, had passed away. He was a master of the Nyatiti and performed for us in the village of Aluny, his final track on the day being a funeral dirge. We send our sympathies and condolences to his family and friends at this sad time. Here is an audio excerpt and video from his performance in Aluny.

The news of his passing is painful indicator of how important The Singing Wells project is, in its aims to preserve music.